The GEDOK - The Association of the Federation of Women Artists and
Art Friends - is the largest and best established interdisciplinary
artists federation, which promotes and sustains a long and rich tradition
in Germany. It was founded in 1926 by Ida Dehmel under the name of "Gemeinschaft
Deutscher und Oesterreichischer
Künstlerinnenvereine aller
Kunstgattungen - GeDOK", the Federation of German and Austrian
Women Artists Associations for all Artistic Disciplines.

The GEDOK Karlsruhe was established anew in 1950. The Association had
disbanded itself in 1933, a direct protest against the restrictions
imposed on artists after the Nazi seizure of power. From 1992 onwards
the GEDOK has its own gallery facilities, in which about 6 exhibitions
are organised annually, in addition there is room for a series of readings,
lectures and discussions.

In order to be able to hold this cultural enterprise upright, the GEDOK
Karlsruhe receives an annual grant from the towns' Department of Culture
and the district administration subsidises some of the events that are
held. However, without sponsors and art friends, without the active
voluntary work of the member artists, Karlsruhes' art scene would be
one location poorer .

The GEDOKs main work has evolved around aiding, fostering, nurturing,
supporting, stimulating, encouraging, facilitating and promoting the
interests and artistic work of the woman members. An important part
of the work includes promoting the young, talented and up-coming artists,
in the public-eye and thus strengthening the connections between artists
and art sponsors. In the GEDOK all artistic disciplines are represented:
Fine Arts, Applied Arts, Music, Literature, Performing Arts and Recitations.

The large spectrum of interests determines GEDOKs yearly programmes:
Exhibitions, supported by performances, accompanied with the production
of special editions and publications; Readings and Workshops, lectures
and lively, dynamic debate, discourse and discussion flank the variety
of artistic ehibitions, demonstrations, displays, expositions and representations,
each offering a forum for the exchange of ideas and challenges as well
as offering encouragement and stimulation.

The GEDOK is an approved nonprofit organisation, it is non-partisan,
politically and religiously unaffiliated. It is an organisation that
finances the voluntary work from contributions and donations, as well
as from project-bound maintained grants for the promotion of the arts.

A jury of GEDOK members decides which artists have qualified to become
affiliate members. For this process, the jury uses professional criteria
to ensure the highest artistic quality possible. Affiliated members
are eligible to participate in GEDOKs nation wide activities: the GEDOK
Artists Award, exhibitions and catalogue promotions, exhibition projects
within the field of arts and crafts, music competitions, the Ida Dehmel
Literary Award as well as the GEDOK Literature Promotion Prize and the
GEDOK Womens International Composers Competition.

The GEDOK is a member
of the International Society for Fine Arts (IGBK),
section Federal Republic of Germany, the German Music Council, the German
Cultural Council, the German Womans Council as well as being an initiating
member of the Art Fund; the GEDOK is represented through the Collective
Rights Management Association (VG Bild-Kunst) and the Artists' Social
Welfare Insurance (KSK).